Courgette and Manchego Tart

13 09 2009

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Another way to use up some of the daily crop of courgettes. This makes enough tart to serve 4-6 people depending on what you have with it

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 courgettes – sliced
4 eggs
100g or so of manchego – grated
shortcrust pastry to line a flan dish – I usually do this as 6oz flour to 3oz butter, one egg yolk and a splash of water (apologies for the mixing of metric and imperial measurements)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Start by frying the courgette slices in batches. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, when very hot, place the courgette slices in a single layer – careful as they can spit a little. When browned, turn over until brown on both sides. Place in a bowl and fry another layer until they are all done. Leave to cool.

While the courgettes are cooling, make the pastry. I just chuck it all the food processor, roll out, line a flan dish, then blind bake at 180C for about 15 minutes. The courgettes still carry a lot of water even after frying to it is essential to blind bake the pastry else you’ll have a very siggy base. Allow to cool a little, then spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the base.

Beat the 4 eggs, then add the courgettes and manchego. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix, pour into the pastry case and return to the oven for about 25 minutes until the eggs have set.





Courgette & Feta Rösti

3 08 2009

Not only am I now fighting my way through what seems like a never ending supply of courgettes from the allotment, the wet weather made me think about digging up some of the salad potatoes before they start to rot underground. I am bringing home bagful after bagful. So what better than to combine the courgettes and potatoes in a tasty, rösti style fritter, served on a bed of watercress with a generous side helping of home-made beetroot relish.

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The quantities make about 6-8 rösti.

1 largish courgette
1 medium onion
5 medium waxy salad potatoes – Nicola or Charlotte are good
1 200g pack of feta cheese
1 medium egg
few springs of mint
salt and pepper
a little olive oil for frying

Grate the courgette, onion, potatoes (just give them a good scrub and leave the skins on) and cheese. Place in a large bowl and add the egg, chopped mint and seasoning. Give it a good stir.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Take a handful or forkful of the mixture and shape roughly into a burger shape (I cheated and used muffin/poaching rings). Place gently into the frying pan and fry off slowly until the potato is cooked and the underneath os golden. Gently flip over until the other side is nicely browned.

To serve, place a large bunch of watercress or lambs lettuce on the centre of a dinner plate. Place one or two rösti on top depending on how big you made them and how hungry you or your guests are. I served mine with some home-made beetroot relish made with beetroot, bramley apples, sugar, onions and vinegar. You could also use a simple natural yogurt, mint and chive dressing which I think would work well.